Is your child interested in playing on a sports team? Is your little one about to head back to school? If so, then a sports or school physical will most certainly be in their future. Nothing is more important than the health of your child and our Phoenix, AZ, integrative medicinedoctor Dr. Kevin Chan is here to explain the purpose behind a school and sports physical and why they are necessary for your child’s health.
What is a sports physical?
As you might imagine, this physical examination is specific to children who are interested in playing sports. The goal is to prevent sports-related injuries from happening by making sure that your child is healthy enough for the activity that they have chosen to pursue.
In order to do this, our Phoenix doctor will want to perform a thorough physical exam, which includes everything from checking the health of their heart to detecting past musculoskeletal injuries that could cause affect physical activity.
Along with this comprehensive physical exam, we can also provide helpful training tips for injury prevention and to make sure that your child stays healthy not just throughout the sports season but also all year long. Of course, it’s important to note that a sports physical will not replace that yearly back-to-school physical.
What is a school physical?
As your child gets older they are going through so many different developmental milestones that need to constantly be monitored by a medical professional. These annual school physicals are the best way for your doctor to determine that your child is healthy and following a healthy lifestyle to prevent problems from occurring. Instead of focusing on whether or not your child is healthy enough for certain physical activities a school physical is often more comprehensive.
This examination is a full assessment of your child’s health, not just physical but also cognitive, mental and behavioral. It’s a good time to really get to know your child to provide a thorough physical exam. Along with a physical exam, we will go through their detailed medical history. We may also provide immunizations to protect them from serious infections or run blood work (particularly if your child is dealing with any health issues or symptoms).
This visit is also a time to discuss topics such as nutrition, peer pressure, sexual health and substance abuse, depending on the age of your child. It’s important that you have a doctor that you can trust to discuss these issues with openly and honestly.
Don’t wait until the last minute to get your child scheduled for a school or sports physical. Call Pineapple Health in Phoenix, AZ today. We would be happy to work with your schedule to find the most convenient time to get your child in for their checkup.